This report provides a snapshot of the US Executive Branch priorities via daily schedules and the prior day's press releases.
POTUS' Schedule*
10:00 a.m. EDT - The President receives the President's Daily Brief
10:45 a.m. EDT - The President and The Vice President meet with their national security team to hear intelligence, security, and diplomatic updates on the evolving situation in Afghanistan | Situation Room
1:00 p.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on remarks on the evacuation of American citizens and their families, SIV applicants and their families, and vulnerable Afghans; The Vice President also attends | East Room
2:05 p.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT departs Washington, D.C., en route Wilmington, Delaware
3:00 p.m. EDT - THE PRESIDENT arrives in Wilmington, Delaware
Upcoming White House Visit:
- August 26: Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett
- August 30: Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
VPOTUS' Schedule*
10:45 a.m. EDT - the President and the Vice President will meet with their national security team to hear intelligence, security, and diplomatic updates on the evolving situation in Afghanistan | Situation Room
1:00 p.m. EDT - the Vice President will attend when the President delivers remarks on the evacuation of American citizens and their families, SIV applicants and their families, and vulnerable Afghans | East Room
9:15 p.m. EDT- the Vice President will depart Washington, D.C., en route Singapore.
*The US President (POTUS) and Vice President's (VPOTUS) daily schedules are subject to change.
Recap of Thursday, August 19, 2021
Note: Bold hyperlinks spotlight COVID-19 developments.
The White House
- Readout of President Joe Biden Call with President Emmanuel Macron of France (re: AFG)
- Readout of President Biden's Meeting with House Leadership and Committee Chairs on Build Back Better Agenda
- Fact Sheet: The Build Back Better Agenda Will Provide Greater Tax Fairness for Small Businesses
- Statement by President Joe Biden on Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims
- Statement by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on World Humanitarian Day
- Appointment: President Biden Intends to Appoint Maria-Elena Giner as Commissioner of the International Boundary and Water Commission | August 20, 2021
Department of Defense (DOD)
- Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing (re: AFG)
- Transcript: Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby Holds a Press Briefing (re: AFG and other matters)
- Article: Flow of Evacuees out of Kabul Continuing Apace, Officials Say
- Article: More Than 2,000 Evacuated From Afghanistan in 24 Hours
- Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III's Meeting With Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs, His Excellency Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah (re: AFG)
- Article: S., Qatari Defense Leaders Discuss Afghanistan, Other Issues at Pentagon Meeting
- Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's Call with Bahrain Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa (re: AFG)
- Contracts for August 19, 2021
Department of State
- Daily Schedule | Friday, August 20
Afghanistan
- August 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Videoconference with G7 Foreign Ministers and the High Representative of the European Union on Afghanistan
- August 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg
- August 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Spanish Foreign Minister Albares
- August 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Indian External Affairs Minister Jaishankar
- August 19: Readout | Secretary Blinken's Call with Albanian Prime Minister Rama
Other Developments
- August 19: Sanctions | Sanctioning Cuban Officials in Response to Violence against Peaceful Protestors
- August 19: Statement | Department of State Offers Reward for Information to Bring Guinea-Bissau Narcotics Trafficker to Justice
- August 19: Statement | On the Occasion of World Humanitarian Day
August 19: Transcript | Department Press Briefing
US Agency for International Development (USAID)
- Press Release: On the Humanitarian Situation in Ethiopia
- Press Release: On World Humanitarian Day
- Press Release: Passing of USAID Colleague Tresja Denysenko
US Mission to the United Nations (UN)
- Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield?at a UN Security Council Briefing on ISIL/Da'esh
- Statement by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield?on World Humanitarian Day
Department of the Treasury
- Sanctions: Treasury Sanctions Senior Cuban Officials in Response to Violence Against Peaceful Demonstrators
- Sanctions List Updates: Global Magnitsky Designations
- Press Release: Secretary of the Treasury Janet L. Yellen Sends Letter with Secretary of the Department of Labor Martin J. Walsh to Congressional Leaders on Unemployment Insurance
Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC)
- Press Release: SEC Enhances Access to Financial Disclosure Data
Department of Justice
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) | Daily Press Releases
- Press Release: New York Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Stealing Nude Photos of Dozens of Victims
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/ Customs and Border Protection (CBP)/US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Message from Deputy Secretary John Tien on the Current Situation in Afghanistan
- Readout of Secretary Mayorkas' Visit to Miami, Florida
- Press Release: Coordination Amongst Agencies Leads to Rescue of Six Migrants (California)
- Press Release: Laredo CBP Officers Seize Methamphetamine Worth Over $20 Million at World Trade Bridge (Texas)
- Press Release: Checkpoint Agents Arrest 60 Migrants in Three Smuggling Attempts (Texas)
- Press Release: Border Patrol Arrest Multiple Criminal Migrants (Texas)
- Press Release: Human Smuggler Crashes into Civilian Vehicle After Leading Law Enforcement on Vehicle Pursuit (Texas)
- Press Release: CBP to Hold Global Entry Enrollment Event at the Bozeman-Yellowstone Airport (Montana)
- Press Release: Memphis Seizes Cocaine Found In Hammocks (Tennessee)
- Press Release: Air and Marine Operations works with partners in Haitian earthquake relief efforts (Florida)
- Press Release: Cap Reached for Remaining H-2B Visas for Returning Workers for FY 2021
- Press Release: USCIS Reaches Settlement Agreement in "No Blank Space Rejection Policy" Case
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Press Release: FEMA Approves Additional $7.4 Million for Hurricane Michael Recovery (Florida)
Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR)
- Statement from Ambassador Katherine Tai on the Vote by Workers in Silao, Mexico
US International Trade Commission (USITC)
- Press Release: USITC Makes Determinations in Five-Year (Sunset) Reviews Concerning Certain Carbon and Alloy Steel Standard, Line, and Pressure Pipe from China
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Press Release: FTC Alleges Facebook Resorted to Illegal Buy-or-Bury Scheme to Crush Competition After String of Failed Attempts to Innovate
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
- Press Release: USDA Invests $26 Million in Biofuel Infrastructure to Expand Availability of Higher-Blend Renewable Fuels in 23 States
- Press Release: USDA Announces Improvements to the Dairy Safety Net and New Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program
Department of Energy (DOE)
- Press Release: U.S. Department of Energy Announces $61 Million to Advance Breakthroughs in Quantum Information Science
Department of Interior (DOI)
- Press Release: Interior Department Announces Next Steps for Idaho Onshore Wind Energy Project
Department of Labor
- Press Release: Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report
- Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor, City of Lubbock mark National Safe Digging Day
- Press Release: U.S. Department of Labor announces $90M in grants to support training, employment services for workers displaced by the pandemic
- Press Release: Lansing contractor pays 18 subcontracted workers $26K in back wages, fringe benefits after U.S. Department of Labor investigation
Department of Education
- Press Release: Over 323,000 Federal Student Loan Borrowers to Receive $5.8 Billion in Automatic Total and Permanent Disability Discharges
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.